2010 Vintage

• Case Production: 360 cases
• Vineyards: Dutton Ranch House Block, Morelli, Rued, Ritchie and Sebastopol
• Cooperage :60% new French Artisan Oak
• Vinification: Hand sorted, whole cluster pressed, native yeast fermentation, Sur lies with bâtonnage

The second bottling of “The Voyage” Chardonnay represents our belief that harmony can be reached from seemingly unrelated parts. Delicate in the mouth, this wine is round and soft with layers of pear, quince, and wild honey comb wrapped around a mineral driven core.

Our 2010 Voyage Chardonnay is a generous mélange of Bosc pear, buttered apples, Graham cracker, Rainier cherry, citrus oil, and green tea. Scents of lemon meringue and toasted brioche are enticing and refreshing. Rich and penetrating, this full-bodied Russian River blend builds in length and fills out with a crisp seamless natural acidity.

Given that each of the vineyards represented in this blend are present in our True Course bottling, this wine defines that it truly is “The Voyage” that defines the true course.

Dutton Ranch House Block Vineyard

House Block was planted by the Dutton family in 2007 for Chateau Boswell. This steep hillside vineyard located in the famed Green Valley is planted with a Northwest aspect at 4'x7' spacing. The vineyard is planted to a recent Wente clone from the Hyde selection and grafted to 101-14 rootstock. 2009 was the first tiny harvest from this very promising new site.

Dutton Ranch Rued Vineyard

Green Valley Ranch, also known as the Rued Vineyard, has a unique history. The 40 year old vines are the original source of the Rued clone of Chardonnay that is now propagated in various locations. The Rued clone is known for having Muscat flavors when tasted off the vine and wines produced tend to be very floral and intense.

This is the second Chardonnay vineyard Warren Dutton planted. Planting began in 1969 and was completed by 1971 with an Eastern orientation of rows planted in the old style of 8 × 12 spacing on Phylloxera resistant St. George rootstock. 2009 and was the first harvest for Chateau Boswell from this exceptional vineyard.

Dutton Ranch Sebastopol Vineyard

This Russian River Valley vineyard was planted in 1980 with a Robert Young derivative of the old Wente Clone selected for its high fruit tones. Goldridge marine based soils and dry farming account for an expression of minerality in this wine that is unlike any other.

Dutton Ranch Morelli Vineyard

The Morelli Lane Chardonnay vineyard was planted in 1995 high atop a ridge in the famed Green Valley sub appellation of the Russian River Valley area. Vines benefitting from the dry farming in Goldridge soils, the Hyde Wente Clone, and a location only 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean consistently produce a wine with aging potential and characteristics of citrus and wet stone amid full bodied spicy components.

Ritchie Vineyard

RITCHIE VINEYARD The character of this vineyard is reflected in the beautifully aged gnarled Old Wente clone vines which produce tiny clusters and a low yield per vine resulting in wines with the expression only old vines can deliver. Further lending to the character of the wines from this famed vineyard is the volcanic soil composition of pumice, rock and the Goldridge soils for which the Russian River Valley is most known. In fact this vineyard has numerous soil types within a single block. Kent Ritchie has been farming Chardonnay on his ‘Ritchie Vineyard’ since 1972 and has established long term relationships with some of the most sought after winemakers and vintners in Northern California. The Boswell block comprises 3.2 acres of the Old Wente vines at the top rise of the hill with mostly volcanic and Goldridge soils and very low vine yields. The Russian River Valley climate is defined by its proximity to the ocean, and is bordered by the Russian River and the Mayacamas mountains. Coastal breezes bring cooling fog through the Petaluma wind gap in the morning and evening, balancing the afternoon heat enjoyed in this appellation. This temperature differential creates excellent conditions for our Chardonnays as the fruit is afforded a long growing season, allowing time for optimum fruit maturity.